Airport No. 2 in nation for on-time departures in October
Tammy Smith, of Kalispell, works on the tarmac under a Delta Airbus at Glacier Park International Airport on Wednesday, Oct. 17. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Glacier Park International Airport ranked second in North America and 33rd globally for on-time departures for the month of October, according to a press release.
National and global ranking are provided by the Official Aviation Guide, the “world’s leading provider of travel data and insight,” according to the organization’s website.
Airport Director Rob Ratkowski credited the No. 2 spot to airport’s hard-working airline crews.
“The crews from each airline serving GPIA are impressive — it’s really remarkable that they all pushed flights out on time, especially with several early winter storms,” Ratkowski said. “The ground crews work incredibly hard in some tough conditions and with a lot of pressure to keep flights moving.”
Of the total flights departing the tarmac in October, more than 93% left on time.
Glacier Park International significantly outranked other Montana airports for the month of October. The organization reported Missoula ranked 100th in North America and 350th globally, and Bozeman ranked 106th in North America and 367th globally.
“The ground crews that work around the clock at GPIA embody that famous Montana work ethic,” Ratkowski said.
According to the press release, the airport continues to serve the growing demand for air service to and from the Flathead Valley while “emphasizing exceptional customer experience.”
The airport has seen record-breaking passenger volumes in recent months and is planning an expansion to the terminal, but airport officials are confident that staff will keep up with the growth.
The Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion, Illinois, received the top spot in North American with just over 95% of its flights departing on time.